Yemen officials say talks to push al-Qaida out of Aden fail
Mediated talks between the Yemeni government and al-Qaida to persuade the militants to give up their weapons or move out of the southern port city of Aden have failed, Yemeni security officials in government-controlled Aden and tribal mediators said Saturday.
Tribal and public figures accepted by both sides, who have been involved in mediation talks, told The Associated Press the discussions began about three months ago, after government forces pushed Houthi Shiite rebels out of Aden. The mediators told AP they have also been trying to convince al-Qaida to withdraw from areas they control in al-Houta, the capital of Lahj province.
After the Houthis were expelled from Aden in July, al-Qaida appears to have taken advantage of the security vacuum as pro-government forces moved outside Aden to challenge the Houthis, as clashes raged between the two sides in other parts of the country.
